The Honda-powered MP4/4 is one of the most dominant Formula One cars ever built, winning all but one race and claiming all but one pole position in the 1988 season. The engine's design and development was led by Osamu Goto. Honda had made the Constructors' Championship-winning engines of 19, and for 1988 they switched partners from Williams to McLaren, who had struggled with their dated TAG- Porsche engines. Gordon Murray, as Technical Director, had the role of liaising between the drawing office and production. The design of the car was led by American engineer Steve Nichols, the full responsibility for the design of the chassis having been conferred on him by Ron Dennis. Powered by Honda's RA168E 1.5-litre V6- turbo engine and driven by teammates Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, the car competed during the 1988 Formula One season. The McLaren MP4/4, also known as the McLaren-Honda MP4/4, is one of the most successful Formula One car designs of all time. Honda RA168E, 1,494 cc (91.2 cu in), 80° turbocharged V6 (2.5 Bar limited), mid-engine, longitudinally mounted Osamu Goto (Chief Engine Designer (Honda))ĭouble wishbones, pull/push-rod actuated coil springs and dampersĭouble wishbones, rocker-arm actuated coil springs and dampers
But even if YouTube was not even invented back then, video clips of fights of this cars are still among the top hits.Steve Nichols (Chief Designer, Lead Engineer) At the end of the season, 5 wins across wasn´t quite enough to crown this masterpiece of a car with a title, leaving McLaren with a second place in the driver and constructors championship, despite incredible drives, such as, the legendary drive By Ayrton Senna in the wet at Donington. Nevertheless this car put up a fight for the championship, especially since it featured automatic programmable gearbox, traction control and a host of other options, leaving the driver with more resources to concentrate solely on fighting for the top spots.
While the car featured innovative technology and an advanced chassis, the team was being led down by engine in the end, which didn´t offer as much performance as their competition was able to produce. McLaren went onto full attack with the MP4/8, trying to grab another world championship to add to their trophy room. 710 PS were squeezed out of the 3.5 V8 Cosworth engine to propel this McLaren into the fights which would have went viral, if Facebook and YouTube would have been a thing back in 1993.
0 kommentar(er)
